Apparatus for separating suspended matter from gas



Feb.V 27, 1945.

D. w. BowMAN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SUSPENDED MATTER FROM GAS FiledNov. 29, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 27, 1945. D. W BOWMAN. 2,370,444

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SUSPENDED MATTER FROM GAS v Filed Nov. 29, 19443 Sheets-Sheet 2 15 12 16 2o 22 zo y23 ERM Feb. 27, .1945. Q W BOWMAVN2,370,444

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SUSPENDED MATTER. FROM GAS Filed Nov. 29, 19443 Sheets-Sheet 3 Psienied Feb. 27, 1945 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATINGSUSPENDED MATTE-R FROM yGAS David W. Bowman, Hollywood, Calif., assignorto WeSternPrciptation Corporation, Los'Angles, Calif., a corporation of.California Application- November 29, 1944,l Serial No; 565,654`

s claims. (c1. 18s-192i My invention relatesy generally to apparatus forseparating matter from a streamnof gas by centrifugal action,such*asfdustcollectors of the centrifugal type commonly known as cycloneseparators,. wherein a stream of gas'laden with finely divided foreignmaterial,..either liquid or solid,^is

subjected to a`- whirling. motion that'sepa'rates and collects theyforeign particles.

My inventionr is more particularly concerned with apparatus forseparating matter from a stream of gas by centrifugalv action and havinga plurality of separating: units-irrwhich the *gas laden with finelydivided: material` is'v whirled to separate the material` from the gasand provide i for Withdrawal of the -gas'and'the material sepa-1 nbecome clogged, requiring disassembly. Heretofore, the separating unitshave not been conveniently accessible for cleaningv or replacement ofparts.4

An object of my invention is to provide an improved centrifugal typeseparator in which the separating units are conveniently removable forreplacement or repair. k-

Another object of my invention is tol provide a simple and effective'construction for removably securing the separating units in place. y

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds, and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will-.be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to:

and forming apart of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational .view, partly in section, of a centrifugal typedust collector orl materia separator embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 -is a fragmentary sectional vview on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is aY fragmentary sectional view, partly in elevation, on theline 3-3 of Fig.-2;Y

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,showing certain of the separating units in elevation;

Fig.. 5, is a sectional view on the line. 5-5 of Fig. 4;- showing themanner of removably securing a group of separating units in place ;y

Fig. 6 is a sidev elevation of one of theseparating units showing howthe force is applied to the separating unit in securing the same inplace Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a separating unit showing anotherembodiment of thel invention, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, similar to Fig. 5, ofa group of the separating'- units shown-in Fig.- 7.

Referring tothe drawings; in Fig, 1 I have `shown an" apparatus for.separating suspended matterfrom a stream-:of gas by centrifugal action,the construction being.y 'of the multiple-tube form' comprisingapluralityof open-ended tubularsepara'ting. units t0 of generallycircular crosssection and small diameter arrangedvertically inv ahousing IVI having a top header plate I2 to which: the separating unitsare removably secured, the axes of the separating units being sub--vstantially perpendicular to the header plate.` An outlet I3` at thelower endof the housing pro-` vides for removal of the separatedmaterial discharged through the open lower ends of the sep- Y aratingunits" I'U-.l The inclined side wall ofy the lower hopper-shaped portionof the housing has an opening I 4 normally closed by a removable door Maaffording access to the interior of the housing for removingA theseparating units for the purposefof cleaning or repair. I

Thegas with suspended matter is supplied to the separatingY unitsthrough an inlet opening I5V and a header IB. This header is separatedinto lower and upper chambers by an inclined partition wall Il whichcuts ofi communication between the chambers, saidv chambers constitutingcommon inlet and outlet chambers, respectively, for the several unitsI0. The header plate' I2 is provided with openings I8 in whichtheseparatingl units lIt) are removablyv secured and through which .theseparating units receive vthe gas and suspended matter from the inletchaniber formed below the inclined partition I1. The

gas and. suspended' matter are whirled, to subject them to centrifugalaction,.by a suitable directing. element I9 disposed' adjacent the'inletend'vofA each unit Il), as 'shown in Fig. 3, and the suspended matter isseparated from the gas. The separatedmaterial fallsy downwardly into thevbottom-.of the housingfl'l'. The gas is withdrawn by'owing. upwardlythrough outlet members or tubes 20 extendingintothe upper ends of theseparating units I0 and slidably engaging the directingelements I9. Theoutlet members 20 are secured to' and extend through the inclinedvpartition IT so as tuol communicate with the outlet chamber -formedabove the` inclined partition Il',

' the chamber` having an outlet opening ZI throughwhich the gas isdischarged.

ribsf22'andv-spacedgussets 23,.which are attached to the header platein.any Suitable manner, as-

by welding. The remainder of the structure may be secured together bywelding or in any other suitable manner. The general type of apparatusillustrated in the drawings and the mode of operation thereof, aredescribed in greater detail in Lissman U. S. Patent 1,909,184, grantedMay 16, 1933.

The separating units IUare shown 'as tapered uniformlythroughout theirlength, the upper ends being provided with shoulders 24 bearing upwardlyagainst the header plate I2 about the openings I8 and the shouldersl 24and the edges of the adjacent opening I8 constituting cooper-V atinglocating shoulder means. In order to facilitate removal of these unitsthey are secured in place by any arrangement located outside theseparating units, which is accessible, simple, and securely retains theseparatingv units in place. This arrangement includes a tension member25 extending longitudinally of the units, `being attached at one end tothe header plate I2 and having a'transverse bearing member 26 attachedyto the other end thereof. Thetension member or hanger rod 25 iS attachedto the header plate I2 by a stirrup I2a welded to the `header plater andsupporting a transverse head I2b on the .hanger rod. The bearingmemberZI ccmpressively engages a curved face 21 providing a singlelimited area on a lug 28 welded to the separating unit, preferablyadjacent the lower end thereof. In

Fig. 6, the curved face 21 is shown as having a radius of curvatureRabout a center lying in theplane of the header plate I2 at the centerofy the upper end of the separatingunit Ill so that the direction of theforce exerted against face 21 retaining the separating unit in 'placeintersects the axis of the separating unit at the center of the plane ofthe header plate I2, as clearly shown by the dotted line L. This makesthe separating unit stable as the'pressure is uniformlyr distributedabout the opening I8 in the header plate, and the shoulder 24 is heldtightly against the header plate throughout its circumference. Thus, allof the separating units will be securely retained in 'placeperpendicular to the header plate.v As long as the force exerted againstthe supporting lug 28 is directed toward the header plate and in adirection passing within the peripheryV of the separating unit Iuat theplanefof u the'header plate, there will be no tendency for the force totilt the separating unit out of Vertical alignment. Consequently, theposition of the center of. curvature of face 21 may depart somewhat fromvthat above described, but it should be so positioned that the radius ofcurvature thereof at the position of engagement by the bearing member 26is uin a direction passing within the circumference of opening I8 andshoulder 24 and preferably adjacent the center thereof.

The tension member or hanger rod 25 is threaded at its lower end and thebearing member 26 is brought -into secure engagement with" secure all ofthe separating units by tightening the nuts 29, vas shown in Fig. 5wherein four separating units are secured in place in this manner, eachseparating unit being provided with but a single lug 28.

l It will be observed that with supporting means arranged as abovedescribed, the force applied to the separating units in the describeddirection, as illustrated at L in Fig. 6 for the preferred case, has asubstantial component in a direction extending outwardly with respect tothe axis of the tension member 25 and perpendicular to said axis as wellas to the axis of the separating unit Ill. Conversely, the thrustagainst the transverse bearing member 26 has a substantial trans- Versecomponent directed inwardly toward the axis of the tension member andperpendicular thereto. This transverse component tends to displacelaterally the lower end of the tension member. If only a singleseparating unit were supported in this manner rby each tension member,it would therefore be necessary to make the tension member ofsufficiently rigid construction andto secure` it rigidly to the headerplate I2, or to providey suitable bearing means in order to `resist thislateral thrust. However, by the ar` rangement shown in Fig. 5, in whicha plurality of separating units are arranged symmetrically about andsupported by a single'tension member 25 and its associated bearingmember 26, it will be seen that the lateral forces exerted against thebearing member bythe several separating units are substantiallycompletely balanced, that-` is, the resultant ofthe several componentsperpendicular to the axis of the tension member is substantially lzero.Consequently, the tension member is subjected only to longitudinaltension, and need not be rigidly supported from the header plate I2,

The bearing members for supporting the separating units located adjacenta side wall of the housing II may be attached to the side wall, as showninthe left-hand portion of Fig. 3. In this construction also, the forceis exerted in a direction intersecting the axis of the separating unitIll in the plane of the vheader plate I2, or passing within thevperiphery of the separating unit at the plane of the header plate. Thelugs 28 on the separating units lil are engaged by brackets 3Iattachedto the wall of the housing II by bolting themA to brackets 32 welded orotherwise suitably attached tothe wall. The separating units I()Aadjacent the wall of the housing I I are thus secured in place.

As previously explained, the directing elements I9 are in slidingengagement with the outlet members or tubes 26, so that the directingelements may be removed'with the separating units III. These directingelements may be constructed in any suitable manner to impart to thegasand suspended matter entering each separating unit the desired whirlingmotion `about the axis thereof. In the present construction they includerings I9a slidably mounted on the outlet members 20 and a plurality ofhelically extending vanes I9b extending outwardly' from `the rings andenga-ging the walls of the'separating units, whereby the directingelements I9 are supported by engagement withthe -upwardly and outwardlyinclined Walls of the respective separating units. The outer ends of thevanes Ib are preferably shaped to conform to lthe tapered wall oi theseparating unit, so that'when the directing elements are placed in theseparating units they `are wedged in place by engagement of the vanesity.

with the tapered wall'ddueftouthe force of grav- I contemplate utilizingany suitable arrangement. for securing the directing f elements I9 inthe separatingunits lfand provide -for removal of the directingelementswith the separating units. By wedging the directing elements inplace in this way they may be readily. re.u moved from the separatingunits. After any separatin-g unit is separated froml the correspondingo-utlet tube 2U, the'directing. element i3 may be readily removed fromthat^unit-since it merely rests in engagement with thewall thereof andis free tosbe moved upwardly. A modified embodiment of the invention isshown in Figs. '7 and 8. In this formof the invention the separatingunits 33 are supported with shoulders 34 bearing upwardly against headerplate i2 by an arrangement similar in principle to, but somewhatdifferent in construction from, that shown in Figs. 1 to' 6. Thesupporting arrangement of Figs. 7 and 8 includes a tension member orhanger rod 35 extending longitudinally of the separating units andattaching to header plate I2 by stirrup 12a supporting a transverse head35a on the hanger rod. At the lower end of the hanger rod a four-armedspider 3B is adjustably supported by nuts 39 threaded on the lower endof the hanger rod. The outer.

ends of the spider arms are channeled on their upper surfaces to receiveand bear against the lower faces 31 of lugs 3'8.

intend in the appended claims to cover all modications whichl do notdepart from the spirit and scope thereof.

' This application is a continuation-in-part of my application SerialNo. 397,988, led June 13, 1941.

The vane supporting arrangement of my in vention is more particularlyclaimed in divisional application Serial No. 487,172, filed May 15,1943.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for separating suspended matter from a stream of gas -bycentrifugal action and having a header plate and a plurality ofseparating units with their axes extending substantially perpendicularto theheader plate, means for securing the units to the header platecom-k prising: tension members extending substantially parallel to theaxes of the units and attached at one end to the header plate; and atransverse bearing member mounted on the other end of each of thetension members and bearing against a single limited area on at leastone of said units to press the unit against the header plate.

2. In apparatus for separating suspended matter from a stream of gas bycentrifugal action and having a header plate and a plurality ofseparating units with their axes substantially perpendicular to theheader plate, means for securing the units to the header platecomprising: a

on each of aA plurality of units in a direction to- 75 ward the headerkplate to press the units against the header plate. f i

3. In apparatus for separating suspended matterffrom a stream of gas bycentrifugal action and having a header plate anda plurality ofseparating units, means for supporting. the units from the header platecomprising: a.l lug on the outside of each unit; a tension memberextending parallel to the axes of the units and attached at one end tothe header plate; and a transverse bearing member mountedL on thejotherend of the tension member to bear against the lugs of a plurality ofunits and press the units against the header plate.

4. In apparatusV for separating suspended matter from alstream of gas bycentrifugal action and having Aa header plate and a plurality.v ofseparating units, means for supporting the units from the header platecomprising: a lug on the outside of each unit; a tension memberextending parallel to the axes of the units and attached at one vend tothe header plate; and a transverse bearing member mounted on the otherend of the tension member to bear against the lugs of a plurality ofunits and press the units against the header plate, the engagingsurfaces on the bear# ing member and each lug being so disposed that thedirection of pressure on each lug intersects the axis of thecorresponding unit substantially at the plane of the header plate.

5. In apparatus for separating suspended matter from a stream of gas bycentrifugal action and having a header plate and a plurality ofseparating units, means for supporting the units from the header platecomprising: a lug on the outside of each unit, the lug having an arcuateunder face; a hanger rod attached at one end to fthe header plate; andan upwardly convex plate mounted on the other end of the hanger rod tobear upwardly against the arcuate surface of a plurality of lugs, theengaging surfaces on the plate and each lug being so disposed that thedirection of pressure on the lug intersects the plane of the headerplate within the periphery of the corresponding separating unit.

6. In apparatus for separating suspended matter from a stream of gas bycentrifugal action and having a header plate and a plurality ofseparating units removably engaging said header plate and extending inone direction therefrom, means for removably securing said units totheheader plate comprising: a tension member extending substantiallyparallel to the axes of the units and located substantially centrallywith respect to the group of adjacent units and attached at one end tothe header plate; and a transverse bearing-member secured to the otherend of the tensionvmember and bearing against a single limited area oneach of the separating units of said group and exerting a force againsteach such separating unit in a direction substantially intersecting theaxis of that unit in the plane of the header plate.`

7. In apparatus for separating suspended matter from a stream of gas ybycentrifugal action and having a header plate and a plurality ofseparating units removably engaging said header plate and having theiraxes substantially perpendicular to the header plate and arrangedsymmetrically about an-axis of symmetry located substantially centrallywith respect, to said plurality of units, means for removably securingsaid units to the header plate comprising: a lug on the outside of eachunit at a position removed from the header plate; a tension memberlocated substantially along said axis of symmetry and attached at oneend to the header plate; and a transverse bearing member secured to theother end ofthe tension member and engaging the lugs on all of saidunits and exerting a force against eachof said lugs in a directionpassing within' the periphery of the corresponding unit in the plane 'ofthe header plate.

8. In apparatus for separating suspended matter from a stream of gas bycentrifugal action and having an apertured header plate and a pluralityof elongated tubular separating `units each removably engaging saidheader plate at the position of an aperture in said header plate, meansfor removably securing said separating units to said header platecomprising: locating shoulder means on said header plate and saidtubular separating units at the position of engagement there= of, saidshoulder means being adapted to position said separating units againstlateral displacement thereof with respect to said aperture in the planeof said header plate; attachment means comprising tension memberslocated exteriorly of said tubular separating units and connected tosaid header plate, a bearing member carried by said tension members andpositioned for compressive engagement with said tubular separating unitsat a point removed from said header plate and means for varying theposition of said bearing members with respect to said header platewhereby to engage said separating unit with a supporting force directedtoward said header plate.

DAVID W. BOWMAN.

